App / Website information for EYFS Parents The following pages give you an overview of some apps that may be useful for learning at home.

Unless otherwise stated the apps are for an iPad.

Almost all of the apps can be downloaded for free. Although many apps only provide a simplified

version with the full version available to purchase. In addition, some apps offer in-app purchases.

For early learners, adult support will almost certainly be needed to access the resources initially.

As always, it is at parental discretion that the apps are used. Please supervise your children when using

a digital device, especially if they can make in app-purchases without a password or are browsing the

internet. E-safety link: http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

‘Key Stage’ refers to the level at which your child is studying and gives a guide to the

ageappropriateness of apps:

EYFS: Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception)

1: Key Stage One – Year One and Two – these apps can challenge your child if they are ready

2: Key Stage Two – Years Three to Six – some apps are appropriate across a wide age range

Maths A variety of apps are available for the early development of both Maths and English. A tip is ‘less is more’ –

download one app at a time and trial them until you find just a few you like.

App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Jungle Puzzle

(Marshmallow)

Free EYFS Very simple shape awareness (jigsaw &

matching objects to their ‘shadows’)

The Farm

(Marshmallow)

Free EYFS More simple shape awareness &

introduction to word problems (shape

matching, visual ‘bigger and smaller’, basic

number) *Adult help to read

Writing Magic

Numbers

£1.49 EYFS Practice number formation

Super 7 – No

Monkeys

£0.79

(Free

version

available)

1 Use your knowledge of addition and

subtractions to make the number 7 (more

interesting than it sounds)!

Geraldine’s

Number Land

£2.29 1 + 2

Practise using the four operators with

Geraldine – a favourite character of EYFS

children

AB Maths -

Nicolas

Lehovetzki

£1.49 1 + 2 Mental maths practise – four operators

(Free version available)

AB Maths II -

Nicolas

Lehovetzki

£0.99 1 + 2

Mental maths practise – four operators

(Free version available)

Maths Websites Top Marks is a great website for games, the other three websites offer more ‘in-depth’ information.

App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Top Marks Free EYFS, 1 + 2

A favourite in EYFS:

Underwater Counting – counting objects to 10 Ladybird Spots – simple number awareness (counting & ordering) to 10 Gingerbread Man game - simple number awareness (counting & ordering)

to 10 Teddy Numbers – word problems / counting in ones to 15 Hit the Button – a variety of challenges right to Y6 (choose ‘Number

Bonds’ then ‘Up to 10)

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years/counting

Mixed Maths Games Free EYFS, 1 + 2 http://www.ictgames.com/resources.html

Problem Solving Activities &

Early Maths Pedagogy Info Free EYFS, 1 + 2 http://nrich.maths.org/early-years

Times Education Supplement

(TES) Mixed Resources Free EYFS https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/hub/early-years

A TES simple adition game: http://www.iboard.co.uk/activity/Beam-Me-Up-

Addition-to-10-2363 Oxford Owl website Free EYFS, 1 + 2 A variery of resources and E-books are available to support learning at home.

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/

Doorway Online Free EYFS, 1 + 2 These resources provide visual help for young children to aquire maths

concepts. They should be used with discussion points from an adult.

http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/number/

Coding / Programming There are a variety of very good apps to support early logical reasoning, divergent thinking and resilience. These apps

will require adult input in order for your child(ren) to initially navigate the apps and acquire the skills needed to

continue challenging themselves individually.

App Name Cost Key

Stage

Description

Kodable Free EYFS + 1 Simple Up, Down, Left, Right

Bee-Bot Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Navigate a robot around a map

Blue-Bot Free

EYFS, 1 + 2 Randomly generate challenges – can connect

to Blue-bot robots

Bee-Bot Pyramid £0.69 EYFS, 1 + 2 Bee-bot – set in an Egyptian pyramid

Lightbot Hour Free 1 + 2 Arrow coding navigation game

Tynker App Free 1 + 2 Block coding object avoidance games

Daisy the Dino Free L2 Drag and drop commands (free play) -

early examples of ‘block coding’

Box Island Free EYFS + 1

Simple arrow coding application with ‘no’

reading ability needed (introduces loops)

The Foos

(codeShark

Academy)

Free EYFS + 1

Simple arrow coding application with ‘no’ reading ability needed (introduces loops)

Coding / Programming Websites There are a variety of very good apps to support early logical reasoning, divergent thinking and resilience. These apps

will require adult input in order for your child(ren) to initially navigate the apps and acquire the skills needed to

continue challenging themselves individually.

App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Kodable Free EYFS + 1 Simple Up, Down, Left, Right

https://game.kodable.com/play?hc=1&user=9u8imlu

codeSpark Academy (The

Foos)

Free

EYFS + 1

Simple Arrow Coding game with no language skills needed

http://thefoos.com/webgl/

Bee-Bot Pyramid £0.69 EYFS, 1 + 2 Bee-bot – set in an Egyptian pyramid

Lightbot Hour Free 1 + 2 Arrow coding navigation game http://lightbot.com/flash.html

Tynker.com Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Select ‘Hour of Code’ to play free games – Hour of Code is

an initiative to provide children with free opportunities to

code for one hour. Search this term in Google for many

free resources. www.tynker.com/hourofcode

Code.org Free EYFS, 1 + 2 A fantastic website both with full courses to learn code and a number of shorter Hour of Code activities.

www.code.org

Phonics ‘Phonics’ is the term given to the early acquisition of letter names and sounds and how this knowledge can be used

to break-down sound groups and construct groups of sounds, to read and write respectively.

Ask your child’s teacher what ‘phonics phase’ (level) your child is working at to access the resources effectively – Bug

Club books are also set by phase.

App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Twinkle Phonics Suite

app

Free EYFS + 1 A group of phonics apps for all levels.

Little Writer app Free EYFS Apps to practise letter formation.

Letter Quiz app Free EYFS

Pocket Phonics Lite

app

Free EYFS Practice writing both letters and simple

words.

Geraldine’s Phonics

Land

£1.49 EYFS, 1 Practise your phonics with Geraldine

Phonics Starter

Pack for ages 4-7

(Mr Thorne)

£4.99 EYFS, 1 A variety of apps to support phonics

development

Phonics Website Links App Name Cost Key Stage Description

The Alphablocks

Guide to Phonics

A guide to supporting your child’s phonic development

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/

grownups/the-alphablocks-guide-tophonics

Phonics Play Website Free EYFS, 1 A variety of resources are available.

http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

Dragon’s Den Game Free EYFS, 1 http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

DragonsDen.html

BBC Word Blender

Game

Free EYFS, 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/

wordsandpictures/clusters/blender/

game.shtml

English - Reading App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Mibblio app

(some free audio

books, some cost)

Free EYFS + 1 Mibblio is an app company which lets

children to play music along to their

visual / audio books. More ‘Mibblets’ are

available to purchase.

FarFaria Stories

apps

Free EYFS + 1 FarFaria are a company producing

interactive books – especially traditional

tales.

Storybird.com

Website

Free EYFS, 1 + 2

This website allows learners to read and

write books. For EYFS, the main purpose

will be early reading.

Teach Your

Monster to Read -

Website

Free

(log-in

needed)

EYFS, 1 A website used by Year 1 teachers to support reading development.

www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/

Oxford Owl website Free EYFS, 1 + 2 A variery of resources and E-books are available to support learning at home.

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/

English - Writing App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Little Writer Free EYFS Apps to practise letter formation.

Letter Quiz Free EYFS

Magic Letters £1.49 EYFS Practise letter formation including the

ability to select individual letters to focus

upon.

Comic Life

Free EYFS, 1 Create your own comic-books. Especially

useful for reluctant writers.

Research, Note Taking and Presentation These apps are used regularly in school for older pupils to present their learning. With your support, even younger

children can access these apps. It may be nice to create a digital-dairy of your learning at home.

App Name Cost Key

Stage

Description

Explain Everything £2.99 2

‘Interactive Whiteboard’ – record

presentations and annotate pictures & text in

real time.

Book Creator Free /

£3.99 1 + 2

Create your own e-books. You can import

picture and videos you have made previously.

Video Production Adult help will be needed for young children to access these apps. However, together, you can create some

fantasic videos. Puppet Pals is part of the Digital Literacy curriculum in EYFS.

App Name Cost Key

Stage

Description

LEGO Movie Maker Free 1 + 2 Create stop-motion animations using your

LEGO characters, drawings, or any other

object. Add stickers and LEGO designed

frames.

Tellagami Free 1 + 2 Record comments for animated figures to

speak. Use to explain pictures placed in the

background.

Animoto Free 1 + 2 Create an easy and great-looking picture slide

show in a few easy steps.

PuppetPals HD Free 1 + 2 Animate cartoon characters – good to

encourage early oral storytelling.

PuppetPals2 Free 1 + 2

Green Screen by Do

Ink

£2.29 2 Do you have a wall in your house that is

painted blue, green or red? If so, you have

yourself a film studio. *Young children will

need to be guided through this but you can

make fantastic videos together.

Music App Name Cost Key

Stage

Description

Jenny Balloons (Mibblet) Free EYFS + 1 Mibblio is an app company which lets children to

play music along to their visual / audio books.

More ‘Mibblets’ are available to purchase.

Spaghetti (Mibblet) Free EYFS + 1

Novation Launchpad

Free

EYFS, 1 + 2 This software gives you the chance to be a DJ for

the day. It is a useful platform to teach some of the

basic skills of iPad use.

Drum Pads 24

Free

EYFS + 1 This simple app allows learners to experiment with

sound buttons – they can play free style or try to

program ‘loops’.

Magic Piano

Free

EYFS + 1 This simple game helps learners with the

coordination, fine motor skills and ability to listen

for a song’s ‘pulse’.

Beatwave Free

EYFS, 1 Use this app to create simple sound scopes with

repeating loops.

Incredibox App

Incredibox.com

Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Enjoy this simple and Flash-based game on a

desktop computer or laptop. With catch ‘beatbox’

style rhythms, young children can learn skills such

as ‘dragging and dropping’ as well as minimising

and maximising windows.

tony-b.org Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Learn to use a simple drum machine to create

dance music loops – can be surprisingly effective if

used correctly!

Drawing App Name Cost Key Stage Description

Sketches - Tayasui Free EYFS, 1 + 2 This great app uses stylised paintbrush,

sketching pencils and pen effects making it

easy to draw a masterpiece on your iPad.

It is particularly nice to paint landscapes.

Drawing Desk –

4 Axis Solutions

Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Annotate and edit photos; create doodles

with fun stickers and 3D brushes; draw

sketches with a range of different pen

styles and enjoy the kids drawing functions

using this great free app. (Four Functions)

Drawing – Thumbsoft

Free EYFS, 1 + 2 This is a basic drawing app that allows the

user to draw using a variety of coloured

pencils.

PicCollage Free EYFS, 1 + 2 Not so much a drawing app as a photo

collage maker – EYFS children use this app

to produce a poster about what they like

around school.